Triathlon season is over and I am settling into the holiday season. I vow each year to not slip into bad eating habits and try to stick with my exercise routine- even though I am not training for anything specifically yet. How do you stay inspired to stay with the program? That is the million dollar question that many people ask themselves to stay on track with diet and exercise. So what do you do?
Find something that you love and go for it. That advice sounds so simple and yet how many times have you started a diet or exercise program only to find yourself defeated ? The only answer is to realize that staying fit and healthy is a lifestyle.Most people have short term weight loss goals; they want to look great for a big occasion but what most don't realize is that exercise and proper nutrition doesn't ever end. There is a start point, but there is no end point. Proper nutrition and exercise should be incorporated daily into your life like sleeping and showering. It's a harsh reality, but it is the honest truth when it comes to maintaining fitness health.
I have heard over and over again by countless people that the number one reason for not staying active is time. But there is time for a workout if you consciously put it into your schedule. I know for full time working people this is the hardest thing to incorporate into a schedule. My advice, sit down and schedule it. Personally, nothing in my life is accomplished unless I sit down each week ( maybe five or ten minutes) and think about what I have to do. Write a list of what needs to be done, look at your list and then see when you have a block of time for exercise- even five minutes is a start. During the holidays it is important to do this to keep sane.
Five minutes? I can already hear some of you squawking that five minutes is not enough so why bother? You can climb your own stairs for five minutes, never leaving your house or apartment. You will see benefits if you do it everyday. Don't like stairs? Walk to your mailbox and back as many times as you can for five minutes. Live in a cul-de-sac? Walk to the cul-de-sac and back as many times as you can for five minutes. Get the picture? Get moving. Park further away from the door when you go to the mall; this adds walking time. Try adding a minute to your walk or stair climb each day and after a week you'll be up to twelve minutes. Most beginners can run a mile in that amount of time. If you speed walk, a mile can be done in around thirteen to fourteen minutes. The time excuse just doesn't cut it.
Last week at my son's basketball practice everyone was sitting around on their phones, reading their Kindle's, or working on laptops. I kept thinking that some of the people sitting around should get up and walk around the gym or go outside and walk around. Why not manage that time better? That was an hour practice. Think of what exercise you could do in an hour. Put away the technology and get off your bum is what I wanted to shout! I had visions of Richard Simmons pulling people off the bleachers and forcing them to walk around the gym. The point is that here was a block of time. It was only a practice and not a game so parents should not feel guilt for fitting in a walk or run here.
What inspires me to keep fit is that I physically feel better and have more energy to tackle my day; especially this time of year when the holidays are approaching and there is so much that needs to be done. I am inspired to keep at it when the clothes I have in my closet fit, when I go for my yearly physical and my blood pressure is outstanding, when people tell me that I look the same as I did in high school. Those are the little reasons I am inspired to stay active, but there are big reasons as well.
Recently losing my aunt and grandmother to cancer has taught me to be inspired by little things like a beautiful day or my kids sharing with me their school day or perhaps my husband explaining his victories in work. I am inspired by friends that make me feel good about my accomplishments and goals. I am inspired by one of my spin instructors at the gym who always seems to get me to work a little harder. The biggest inspiration to me is when I see someone with a challenge out there participating in sports.
A few days ago I was running at Lake Pine Park in Cary, NC. I was not feeling in the moment at all, in fact I was not really enjoying my run as I was distracted by all the things on my to do list for the day. I was getting through it when I saw a girl in a wheelchair going around the lake. I was stunned, but she was using one foot to push off and propel herself around a two mile loop. She had a group with her and what struck me was that she had a big smile on her face. She was rehabbing an injury and it looked very difficult and yet she was having fun with her group. I immediately realized that although I was tired and really didn't feel like running at the moment, I was so lucky to be out there; I was inspired by witnessing one person who was challenged, but she wasn't feeling sorry for herself. She was simply doing what she had to do.
When I am struggling to continue with my training, I look to other people to train with, take a fun group class, or put on music with a great beat. Sometimes if I need a further push I look to two videos for inspiration. One is with Dick and Rick Hoyt, a father and son team that do triathlons together, the other is Jim Valvano's famous ESPY speech from 1993.
Rick was diagnosed as a quadriplegic with cerebral palsy as a result of a lack of oxygen to his brain at birth. His mother and father have strived all of Rick's life to make it as normal as possible. Rick's parents were able to have a special interactive computer built for him that enabled him to communicate.The computer gave their son a," voice," and they quickly learned that Rick loved sports. In 1977, Rick told his father that he wanted to participate in a five mile run that benefited a lacrosse player that had been paralyzed in an accident. Dick agreed but was not really a runner at the time. He pushed his son in the wheelchair for the five miles and finished the race. Later, Rick told his father that he did not feel paralyzed when they were running together. This was the catalyst that sparked the beginning of a foundation Dick started for his son called Team Hoyt. Together the two have done over 1,000 races including marathons, duathlons, and triathlons(six of them ironman competitions). Dick pulls his son in a boat, pulls him while riding a bike, and pushes him in a wheelchair during triathlons; it is a sight to see.
Ten years ago when I decided to sign up for my first triathlon, I had seen Rick and Dick Hoyt on the televised Kona Ironman Triathlon in Hawaii. I was so inspired I knew I had to try one. I cried the entire time watching them and the feeling that came over me was overwhelming. I knew that there was absolutely no reason for me to not do a triathlon. I was hooked after my first race and have continued ever since. Each year I watch Kona and am inspired by anyone who attempts this race, but seeing the Hoyt's blew me away. Kona is still a dream for me, but I am hopeful that someday it will be a reality.
The other person that inspires me is Jimmy Valvano, a former basketball coach at NC State University. He blew me away with his speech at the 1993 ESPY awards. It was my first time watching the ESPY's; I remember my husband saying that I would love the awards show.Valvano gave the speech of a lifetime, talking about the important things in life while he was fighting cancer. His motto,"Don't give up, don't ever give up," is something we have all heard, but there are many things I have taken from that speech like when he said ,"a good day is when you laugh, cry and you think." These are very simple things that we can do each day. When I'm feeling down about anything I think of his powerful words.
Finally, I am inspired by the founders of HydroWorx for the wonderful pools they have created that help people all over the world. Through the power of water therapy they are continually improving the quality of life for people.
I am inspired each day by the grace of God and my many blessings, and like Dick Hoyt has said, "Yes you can," and like Jimmy V. has said," Don't ever give up," I say tri-on friends! Below is Jimmy Valvano's 1993 ESPY video-You Tube and Team Hoyt video-You Tube.
Kelly
Showing posts with label HydroWorx. Show all posts
Showing posts with label HydroWorx. Show all posts
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Reflections of a Triathlete
Reflection-Something such as light, radiant heat,sound or an image that is reflected; a fixing of the thoughts on something, careful consideration.
A few weeks ago I completed my last triathlon of the season and it was a challenging event. Being my last event always stirs up many emotions for me. I am usually a little sad that the season is over, but hopeful for the next season. Pinehurst Olympic Triathlon was a wonderful way to end my season. Rolling hills on the bike and run; a clean, clear lake with beautiful homes surrounding it and a golf community that provided a beautiful venue while I tortured myself one last time will keep me coming back to this race.
During the swim I was challenged by the glaring sun reflecting on the lake, but rather than cursing the sun I suddenly was overcome by the beauty of the morning. I was reminded of my grandmother and my aunt who I have recently lost and realized how lucky I was in that moment to be in the warm water even if it was a bit rough from the winds. I realized that with each arm stroke I was gaining momentum to the shoreline. The sunlight was blinding, but it didn't blind my spirit. I felt a sense that my aunt and grandmother were with me guiding me through the light to the bike transition. This was living; feeling the waves, the cold water, the sunlight in my eyes, the cool morning temperatures- all examples of life and experiencing these elements keeps me coming back for more. I could have slept in and been home drinking a cup of coffee, but why sit on the sidelines when you can be in there," in it?" It's a privilege to be a triathlete and the ability to participate is never taken for granted as it is a gift that I reflect on regularly. As I've written before, I ,"tri," for those who can't.
The bike and the run lead me through the beautiful Pinehurst community and while the hills challenged me, I enjoyed the cool temperatures of the day, especially during the run when I so often overheat. I always like to talk to people on the run. During Pinehurst, I talked with a man that was in his sixties. The cool thing, or maybe not so cool, is that your age is marked on the back of your leg. I am always so inspired to see all age groups out there participating in the field of triathlon. The man that was in his sixties expressed that he was tired when I asked him how it was going. But then he said," I keep doing this because of how I feel afterwards." I nodded and told him I felt the same way. Whatever his reasons were for feeling good after he didn't say, but I had a pretty good understanding of what he meant. When you are done it is a feeling that something great was accomplished in a morning. Rather than watching TV or drinking coffee or perhaps having breakfast, there is something great about knowing that your body travelled a long distance (37.2 miles in this race) in a morning using arms, legs and a bike. Through this,"play," I feel like a child again. Competing in triathlon gives you strength to get through tougher things in life.
I met another guy on the run who was closer to my age and he,"carried," me for about four miles. He kept me going by talking with me. What I learned from him was that he was a," weekend warrior," type of athlete. He said he didn't train much but rather just came out to the events and did them. I was impressed with his ability as at mile four he increased his speed and took off; probably tired of talking to me. What stuck with me was that he said he'd rather be,"spending time on the weekends playing and fishing with his son," so he doesn't put in as many training hours as he should. I could relate to that philosophy as my race schedule is always around my family.
Part of reflecting is also realizing how thankful I am to be able to share my stories and to have people that believe in me and support my efforts as an athlete. I can't say thanks enough to my friends at HydroWorx for believing in me. I believe in water therapy and would recommend an underwater treadmill at every gym in the country. The people behind HydoWorx are visionaries in the sports medicine industry, much like Steve Jobs was a visionary in technology. Recently, they put an underwater treadmill in the Keefer home that was featured on ABC's Extreme Makeover:Home Edition show. One of the family members featured on the show is a paraplegic that needs therapy and HydroWorx installed one of their pools right in the home. The power of water therapy is so incredible. The show featured another man with a disability that is now walking as a result of one of the pools.
Beyond reflecting on my last race, I began to reflect on the challenges faced by my family over the last six months. We recently relocated back to North Carolina after a five year stint in Pennsylvania. Although we were returning to an area we call home, we were leaving behind new friends that we'd made and traveling far away from family members again. Moving across country is no easy task,especially when you have children. "Setting up shop," is an adventure, but hard work. Relationships/friendships from the past have changed as well and so our old life was a bit different. We moved back to our,"home," but things had changed over five years. Again an adjustment had to be made for all of my family. Through it all, the swimming, biking, and running kept me on task. Sounds crazy, but when you have a checklist of things to do and follow it, voila it happens. I train for triathlon that way and live my life that way. The workouts were a great release in between packing, unpacking, setting up my kids in school and sports, DVM visits. et cetra.
A few weeks ago I completed my last triathlon of the season and it was a challenging event. Being my last event always stirs up many emotions for me. I am usually a little sad that the season is over, but hopeful for the next season. Pinehurst Olympic Triathlon was a wonderful way to end my season. Rolling hills on the bike and run; a clean, clear lake with beautiful homes surrounding it and a golf community that provided a beautiful venue while I tortured myself one last time will keep me coming back to this race.
During the swim I was challenged by the glaring sun reflecting on the lake, but rather than cursing the sun I suddenly was overcome by the beauty of the morning. I was reminded of my grandmother and my aunt who I have recently lost and realized how lucky I was in that moment to be in the warm water even if it was a bit rough from the winds. I realized that with each arm stroke I was gaining momentum to the shoreline. The sunlight was blinding, but it didn't blind my spirit. I felt a sense that my aunt and grandmother were with me guiding me through the light to the bike transition. This was living; feeling the waves, the cold water, the sunlight in my eyes, the cool morning temperatures- all examples of life and experiencing these elements keeps me coming back for more. I could have slept in and been home drinking a cup of coffee, but why sit on the sidelines when you can be in there," in it?" It's a privilege to be a triathlete and the ability to participate is never taken for granted as it is a gift that I reflect on regularly. As I've written before, I ,"tri," for those who can't.
The bike and the run lead me through the beautiful Pinehurst community and while the hills challenged me, I enjoyed the cool temperatures of the day, especially during the run when I so often overheat. I always like to talk to people on the run. During Pinehurst, I talked with a man that was in his sixties. The cool thing, or maybe not so cool, is that your age is marked on the back of your leg. I am always so inspired to see all age groups out there participating in the field of triathlon. The man that was in his sixties expressed that he was tired when I asked him how it was going. But then he said," I keep doing this because of how I feel afterwards." I nodded and told him I felt the same way. Whatever his reasons were for feeling good after he didn't say, but I had a pretty good understanding of what he meant. When you are done it is a feeling that something great was accomplished in a morning. Rather than watching TV or drinking coffee or perhaps having breakfast, there is something great about knowing that your body travelled a long distance (37.2 miles in this race) in a morning using arms, legs and a bike. Through this,"play," I feel like a child again. Competing in triathlon gives you strength to get through tougher things in life.
I met another guy on the run who was closer to my age and he,"carried," me for about four miles. He kept me going by talking with me. What I learned from him was that he was a," weekend warrior," type of athlete. He said he didn't train much but rather just came out to the events and did them. I was impressed with his ability as at mile four he increased his speed and took off; probably tired of talking to me. What stuck with me was that he said he'd rather be,"spending time on the weekends playing and fishing with his son," so he doesn't put in as many training hours as he should. I could relate to that philosophy as my race schedule is always around my family.
Part of reflecting is also realizing how thankful I am to be able to share my stories and to have people that believe in me and support my efforts as an athlete. I can't say thanks enough to my friends at HydroWorx for believing in me. I believe in water therapy and would recommend an underwater treadmill at every gym in the country. The people behind HydoWorx are visionaries in the sports medicine industry, much like Steve Jobs was a visionary in technology. Recently, they put an underwater treadmill in the Keefer home that was featured on ABC's Extreme Makeover:Home Edition show. One of the family members featured on the show is a paraplegic that needs therapy and HydroWorx installed one of their pools right in the home. The power of water therapy is so incredible. The show featured another man with a disability that is now walking as a result of one of the pools.
Beyond reflecting on my last race, I began to reflect on the challenges faced by my family over the last six months. We recently relocated back to North Carolina after a five year stint in Pennsylvania. Although we were returning to an area we call home, we were leaving behind new friends that we'd made and traveling far away from family members again. Moving across country is no easy task,especially when you have children. "Setting up shop," is an adventure, but hard work. Relationships/friendships from the past have changed as well and so our old life was a bit different. We moved back to our,"home," but things had changed over five years. Again an adjustment had to be made for all of my family. Through it all, the swimming, biking, and running kept me on task. Sounds crazy, but when you have a checklist of things to do and follow it, voila it happens. I train for triathlon that way and live my life that way. The workouts were a great release in between packing, unpacking, setting up my kids in school and sports, DVM visits. et cetra.
This blog is more than a blog about a girl who loves triathlon. This is about life and how triathlon shows up in my life. I am reminded of my brother-in-law, Dr. Frank McCluskey, who wrote a book called Thoughts on Fire; a book about being a fire fighter. In his book, his life was brought full circle by his passion for fighting fires and the relationships he developed doing so. It is not much different than what I am trying to convey in My Tri Life; do what you love and love what you do. I am lucky enough to have figured out my mantra and I am only middle aged. Thankfully, I still have half a life to go.
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| Pinehurst Triathlon Swim Transition |
Tri- On Friends,
Kelly
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| Pinehurst Triathlon Run Transition |
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| HydroWorx Pool at Keefer home featured on ABC Extreme Makeover Home Edition |
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| HydroWorx Pool featured on ABC Extreme Homemaker Home Edition |
Friday, July 1, 2011
Farewell But Not Goodbye
I had a video about triathlon transitions to share this week for my blog but something or someone was pulling me in a different direction to write about a very important transition that I am going through now. It is not the transition from swim to bike or the transition from bike to run, but rather the fact that in one weeks’ time I will be moving my family to North Carolina to live. A little voice inside my head said the video can wait.
Five short years ago we were faced with a decision to move to Pennsylvania for a promotion for my husband's job. When our kids were born I gave up full time work in sales to stay at home with our boys. My husband was the bread winner so when an opportunity came for him we knew it would be good for his career in the insurance industry. The move to Pennsylvania was inevitable.
Here we are five years later moving back to the Raleigh area of North Carolina, right back where we started our family after college. As my neighbor said, “Full circle is nice." Full circle is right. I never thought I would feel sad leaving PA since I really did not have ties here but after five years I've finally felt like I was fitting in and that I had built a new life here for my family. My heart is sad in a way, but I know that once again this is the right move for my family. Once again my husband's job takes us back.
There are many people, places and things I will miss about PA. I was able to plug into triathlon here, which is such a big part of me. I will miss the Catfish Triathlon on City Island that I have done each year since I moved here. I won't, however, miss swimming in the Susquehanna River; sorry folks but can you blame me? One year the river was so shallow triathletes were walking it. I had my first experience in the HydroWorx pool at the Catfish Tri where I got to try out the endless swim jet. I was immediately hooked and little did I know that I would develop a relationship with them.
I will also miss the triathlon at Pinchot Park. I won't miss the fact that last year when I finished the race my son Nick informed me that they pulled out a very large black snake with fangs when they were fishing during my race. I will miss my runs on the trail and around the grounds at Messiah College. I won't miss all of those killer hills, but I will miss my running friends Susan and Fran and all the things we shared while we ran. I will miss running on the underwater treadmill at HydroWorx.
I will miss the bike rides around here. I never thought I would say that because there are so many hills. My thick thighs are proof that my cycling has really improved, at least on hills and now I get bored on the flats. The scenery in Central PA is so beautiful and I would savor my rides taking in all the green fields and the miles and miles of farms in the area. The winding roads and the peacefulness of watching a farmer tend to his fields is something I will miss. The hard working farmer will forever be ingrained in my brain.
I met some really good people here who are farmers that I had the pleasure of working for giving school tours. I will really miss their orchard and the fond memories of working with the schools and sharing information about what an orchard is and what happens there.
I could name all of the great friends I've made but I think I'd like to explain what type of people they are rather than embarrass them by naming them. There seems to be one common thread in the friends that I’ve made in PA and that are God, family, country. What does that mean?
My friends here have their priorities straight. They are not concerned with material things but rather helping others. I know of several families here that are involved in missionary work. Recently, one young man in the area travelled to South America on a mission and another family is soon to go to Costa Rica to help others find Christ. One family left the area and moved to Africa to build a new hospital.
One friend showed up at my door after a trying time with my teenager with an apple crisp and a hug. Just being there for me when she knew I needed a friend; so much for not sharing a story.
When ABC's Extreme Home Makeover showed up in PA, many of the friends I have here were involved in planning meals and coordinating volunteers to help a very needy family in nearby Etters. The people of our community showed up to do whatever was needed to get a very special home built for a quadriplegic.
I have a great group of neighbors too. I will really miss hanging out in our back yards and getting together over the holidays. My neighbors would do anything to help my family, especially in the “transition mode," we've been in lately. Offers to cut grass or watch the kids or come over if I'm scared have been endless.
Transitions are hard in triathlon and in life. I can practice transitioning for triathlon, but I can't practice some of life's transitions. What I can do is remain supportive of my family and the move and look at it as another fun adventure.
Tri- On,
Kelly
.
Five short years ago we were faced with a decision to move to Pennsylvania for a promotion for my husband's job. When our kids were born I gave up full time work in sales to stay at home with our boys. My husband was the bread winner so when an opportunity came for him we knew it would be good for his career in the insurance industry. The move to Pennsylvania was inevitable.
Here we are five years later moving back to the Raleigh area of North Carolina, right back where we started our family after college. As my neighbor said, “Full circle is nice." Full circle is right. I never thought I would feel sad leaving PA since I really did not have ties here but after five years I've finally felt like I was fitting in and that I had built a new life here for my family. My heart is sad in a way, but I know that once again this is the right move for my family. Once again my husband's job takes us back.
There are many people, places and things I will miss about PA. I was able to plug into triathlon here, which is such a big part of me. I will miss the Catfish Triathlon on City Island that I have done each year since I moved here. I won't, however, miss swimming in the Susquehanna River; sorry folks but can you blame me? One year the river was so shallow triathletes were walking it. I had my first experience in the HydroWorx pool at the Catfish Tri where I got to try out the endless swim jet. I was immediately hooked and little did I know that I would develop a relationship with them.
I will also miss the triathlon at Pinchot Park. I won't miss the fact that last year when I finished the race my son Nick informed me that they pulled out a very large black snake with fangs when they were fishing during my race. I will miss my runs on the trail and around the grounds at Messiah College. I won't miss all of those killer hills, but I will miss my running friends Susan and Fran and all the things we shared while we ran. I will miss running on the underwater treadmill at HydroWorx.
I will miss the bike rides around here. I never thought I would say that because there are so many hills. My thick thighs are proof that my cycling has really improved, at least on hills and now I get bored on the flats. The scenery in Central PA is so beautiful and I would savor my rides taking in all the green fields and the miles and miles of farms in the area. The winding roads and the peacefulness of watching a farmer tend to his fields is something I will miss. The hard working farmer will forever be ingrained in my brain.
I met some really good people here who are farmers that I had the pleasure of working for giving school tours. I will really miss their orchard and the fond memories of working with the schools and sharing information about what an orchard is and what happens there.
I could name all of the great friends I've made but I think I'd like to explain what type of people they are rather than embarrass them by naming them. There seems to be one common thread in the friends that I’ve made in PA and that are God, family, country. What does that mean?
My friends here have their priorities straight. They are not concerned with material things but rather helping others. I know of several families here that are involved in missionary work. Recently, one young man in the area travelled to South America on a mission and another family is soon to go to Costa Rica to help others find Christ. One family left the area and moved to Africa to build a new hospital.
One friend showed up at my door after a trying time with my teenager with an apple crisp and a hug. Just being there for me when she knew I needed a friend; so much for not sharing a story.
When ABC's Extreme Home Makeover showed up in PA, many of the friends I have here were involved in planning meals and coordinating volunteers to help a very needy family in nearby Etters. The people of our community showed up to do whatever was needed to get a very special home built for a quadriplegic.
I have a great group of neighbors too. I will really miss hanging out in our back yards and getting together over the holidays. My neighbors would do anything to help my family, especially in the “transition mode," we've been in lately. Offers to cut grass or watch the kids or come over if I'm scared have been endless.
Transitions are hard in triathlon and in life. I can practice transitioning for triathlon, but I can't practice some of life's transitions. What I can do is remain supportive of my family and the move and look at it as another fun adventure.
Tri- On,
Kelly
.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Tri- Happiness
Happiness: as defined by Wikipedia; a mental state of well being characterized by positive emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy.
Gratitude: as defined by Wikipedia; the quality or feeling of being grateful or thankful, appreciation is a positive emotion in acknowledgment of a benefit that one has received.
Admittedly, I have not felt either of those emotions in the last week or so. After losing my aunt to cancer and then two days later finding that an old employer and friend passed away from a health complication, my happiness level has been challenged, along with a feeling of what do I possibly have any gratitude towards right now? My husband has taken a new job, which will lead us out of Pennsylvania, and he is gone now most weeks leaving me the challenging task of caring for two boys and selling our home. I'm not complaining, just simply stating what's going on.
But life is full of peaks and valleys, highs and lows. As usual, I have turned to running, swimming, and biking these past few days to figure out a way to feel these emotions of gratitude and happiness. Ironically, my book club is reading, The Happiness Project, by Gretchen Rubin this month, and for me the book couldn't have come at a better time.
I feel a strong connection with the book. Gretchen Rubin has a family, she is writer and an avid reader. I feel as though I could go out and have a cup of coffee with her, as we have similar likes and dislikes and a commonality in the fact that, I too write, love to read, have two children and a husband. In her book she spends a year trying to make her life more meaningful. She tries to figure out what makes her life happier. In the process, she realizes that is isn't necessarily big things or big changes that make her happy but mostly being true to herself; tuning into what she likes to do and accepting what she can and cannot do. She calls it, "Being Gretchen," and I have found that to ring true for myself.
I can relate to The Happiness Project because like Gretchen searching for happiness, I too am searching for meaning in life each day. Rubin found happiness through organizing, writing a blog (sound familiar?), having more free time, taking life less seriously, trying to live more in the "moment," and by pursuing a passion. I know triathlon makes me happy because I can do good for others by earning money for causes. I can also feel a sense of accomplishment for the distances I've travelled, and the work that went into training before an event. Through triathlon, I can get a sense of the meaning of life, or at least the meaning of my life. In a sense, we all have our own happiness project.
Yet still, a sense of sadness had come over me the last few days. Grieving is a strange process. According to Elisabeth Kubler-Ross there are five stages of grief: denial, bargaining, anger, depression, and acceptance. I think I've gone through all of those stages and was comforted to know that I was normal in feeling these emotions. Death is just as much a part of life as trying to figure out what our own personal meaning is.
Rubin also wrote about gratitude in her book. I've definitely been looking for more of that, and as I read on, I learned that she too had gone through some difficult times. She decided that it was important to write each day about what she was grateful for, even during "down" times. I've blogged about gratitude before and the importance, but will admit that I might not practice in this ritual each day. I decided to pull myself out of my "slump" and practice what Rubin describes in her book as a gratitude list.
So here goes: I am thankful for being able to do triathlons (come on you knew that), I am thankful for the opportunity for a great company called HydroWorx to sponsor my efforts as a triathlete, I am glad that my aunt passed away at home with her family near, I am thankful for two great boys and a great husband. I have great friends, family, and colleagues. I have my health. I have everything I need. I am thankful to be able to write as an outlet and also as a way to communicate my gratitude.
Looking at my list, I felt a sense of happiness. Acceptance had set in, the last phase of my grieving process. It's time to focus on my upcoming event at the end of May. While my training has been consistent, I could probably use some ramping up with a little more than a month away from my first tri. So, like Gretchen Rubin made a list of her goals, I too decided to write down more of my training goals, and in doing so felt happy.
This blog is about what I'm going through in triathlon, but it is also about what is happening in life.Triathlon happens to be my Happiness Project, but I hope to have at least made you think about what your own happiness project is or could be.
Happy Training,
Kelly
Gratitude: as defined by Wikipedia; the quality or feeling of being grateful or thankful, appreciation is a positive emotion in acknowledgment of a benefit that one has received.
Admittedly, I have not felt either of those emotions in the last week or so. After losing my aunt to cancer and then two days later finding that an old employer and friend passed away from a health complication, my happiness level has been challenged, along with a feeling of what do I possibly have any gratitude towards right now? My husband has taken a new job, which will lead us out of Pennsylvania, and he is gone now most weeks leaving me the challenging task of caring for two boys and selling our home. I'm not complaining, just simply stating what's going on.
But life is full of peaks and valleys, highs and lows. As usual, I have turned to running, swimming, and biking these past few days to figure out a way to feel these emotions of gratitude and happiness. Ironically, my book club is reading, The Happiness Project, by Gretchen Rubin this month, and for me the book couldn't have come at a better time.
I feel a strong connection with the book. Gretchen Rubin has a family, she is writer and an avid reader. I feel as though I could go out and have a cup of coffee with her, as we have similar likes and dislikes and a commonality in the fact that, I too write, love to read, have two children and a husband. In her book she spends a year trying to make her life more meaningful. She tries to figure out what makes her life happier. In the process, she realizes that is isn't necessarily big things or big changes that make her happy but mostly being true to herself; tuning into what she likes to do and accepting what she can and cannot do. She calls it, "Being Gretchen," and I have found that to ring true for myself.
I can relate to The Happiness Project because like Gretchen searching for happiness, I too am searching for meaning in life each day. Rubin found happiness through organizing, writing a blog (sound familiar?), having more free time, taking life less seriously, trying to live more in the "moment," and by pursuing a passion. I know triathlon makes me happy because I can do good for others by earning money for causes. I can also feel a sense of accomplishment for the distances I've travelled, and the work that went into training before an event. Through triathlon, I can get a sense of the meaning of life, or at least the meaning of my life. In a sense, we all have our own happiness project.
Yet still, a sense of sadness had come over me the last few days. Grieving is a strange process. According to Elisabeth Kubler-Ross there are five stages of grief: denial, bargaining, anger, depression, and acceptance. I think I've gone through all of those stages and was comforted to know that I was normal in feeling these emotions. Death is just as much a part of life as trying to figure out what our own personal meaning is.
Rubin also wrote about gratitude in her book. I've definitely been looking for more of that, and as I read on, I learned that she too had gone through some difficult times. She decided that it was important to write each day about what she was grateful for, even during "down" times. I've blogged about gratitude before and the importance, but will admit that I might not practice in this ritual each day. I decided to pull myself out of my "slump" and practice what Rubin describes in her book as a gratitude list.
So here goes: I am thankful for being able to do triathlons (come on you knew that), I am thankful for the opportunity for a great company called HydroWorx to sponsor my efforts as a triathlete, I am glad that my aunt passed away at home with her family near, I am thankful for two great boys and a great husband. I have great friends, family, and colleagues. I have my health. I have everything I need. I am thankful to be able to write as an outlet and also as a way to communicate my gratitude.
Looking at my list, I felt a sense of happiness. Acceptance had set in, the last phase of my grieving process. It's time to focus on my upcoming event at the end of May. While my training has been consistent, I could probably use some ramping up with a little more than a month away from my first tri. So, like Gretchen Rubin made a list of her goals, I too decided to write down more of my training goals, and in doing so felt happy.
This blog is about what I'm going through in triathlon, but it is also about what is happening in life.Triathlon happens to be my Happiness Project, but I hope to have at least made you think about what your own happiness project is or could be.
Happy Training,
Kelly
Monday, February 14, 2011
To Group Or Not To Group
I decided to ask some of my audience to write in and ask questions about what interested them about fitness or triathlon. The question of the week is this: Is is better to exercise with a club or alone? I can certainly give my opinion on the subject but I thought it would be interesting to see what some other fitness enthusiasts thought as well.
This entry is about the pros and cons of group exercise. We are lucky because there are more options available for exercise than ever. My friend, Karen Francis Jones, who I've known for over twenty years (that's scary) wanted to know my opinion on exercise clubs and the pros and cons. She is an exercise enthusiast herself who shared some of her opinions on a class she does.
Karen participates in "Boot Camp" in the fall and spring months in her hometown of Rivervale, NJ. Boot Camp consists of showing up at 5:30 am (in the dark) at a local high school track. They use the field made of turf as well. The class is different each day which she likes because it keeps it "fresh." They do things like push-ups, sit-ups, weights, squats, sprints etc. The class has a very young and funny coach who gets them pumped and ready to start their day; sounds like a lot of positives so far. The coach also does an assessment on all of the participants at the beginning and then at the end of the session to see how each person has progressed. Each person gets timed in the mile and doing sit ups and push ups. Karen loves it because she has seen her own improvement. Instant feedback is such a good thing when it comes to fitness; can you say a positive?
The negatives of "Boot Camp"( although you know I'm going to say none) are that she doesn't always want to get up so early in the morning and that sometimes some of the exercises hurt her knees. Okay so suck up the early morning thing, no one likes that, but my advice on the things that hurt; don't do it. Listen to your body and do the things that you can do, it still counts.
Karen said that sometimes she gets frustrated with the exercises that she is unable to do and that frustration makes her want to quit. I say again , focus on the exercise you can do and forget the rest. You want to do things that you enjoy; that is the only way you will stick with it. If you are miserable and your knees hurt, you aren't going to go back. Do some extra push-ups or sit-ups if the squats hurt.Your coach will not mind, especially if you let her/him know.
I take a spin class every once in a while at the YMCA. I love the class, the camaraderie from the other participants and the music really rocks. The instructor is funny and I love to hear about her kids and what is going on with her. The one thing that I hate about her class is the,"climbs." These are done standing up on the spin bike for long segments. These hurt my knees so I opt to sit in the saddle and crank it up a notch(increase my cadence) instead of standing. I've told the entire class that I'm not going to do that part. I'm still in class and doing something, just not the thing that hurts my knees. The instructor, named Angie, always says,"Kelly you know what you are doing." There are no worries and I don't feel the least bit funny doing it that way now.
Karen is interested in joining a running group but has some hesitations. She is worried that she may not be able to find someone who is at her pace ; a totally common fear. Karen said that a lot of runners she has come in contact with have already formed their running "cliche" and she worries that she might not fit in. Again, I think a common worry but also a misconception. Of course there are always crummy people out there no matter what you are doing. But there are always people in the same boat that would be willing to welcome in newcomers. My advice here is to give it try. It may take more than one club until you meet the right people, with the right pace, and the right attitude. When you think about it, everything in life is like that.
My experience with running clubs has been positive. I don't usually work out with groups because of time constraints but a few years ago, when I was training for my first half marathon, I worked out with a running group at the YMCA on Saturday mornings. I thought the exact same thing as Mrs. Jones. I didn't want to get stuck with some die hard runner that I couldn't keep up with. The Saturday group provided me with some of the best runners that were paced just like me. It took me a few times going to figure out who I liked running with but after that it was great. The group also had smaller groups within the large group who did different distances. I loved this because usually on Saturday I needed to do a long run for my training, and I could always find someone to run with. I prefer to run with someone for the longs runs over six miles because, lets face it, after an hour of running it can get really boring.
My good friend, Shellie Sierra-Gruber, shared some interesting thoughts about her first triathlon group. Shellie is an age group triathlete( I like to take a little credit for the fact that she is a triathlete because I recruited her ten years ago). She wanted group exercise to help her with her triathlon training. Initially she did not find people that she could regularly swim,bike, and run with. But what she did find was a,"community of support, healthy competition, and friendships. " She feels those ingredients helped her grow as an athlete and a person. Humm, sounds like a positive to me.
Eventually, Shellie did find people in her group to train with and those people are able to "push" her further and "pull" her back if she is overdoing it or facing an injury. The triathlon group she is with now organizes group runs, swims and bikes. They communicate via email and she is always able to find someone to work out with now. Shellie has developed many meaningful relationships from working out with a group. "When you're out in the woods for long periods of time, things come out." The tri group also gets together for social gatherings where they'll go out to dinner or do non-exercise things which also helps to promote cohesion in the group. The club also provides nutrition information, bike maintenance, and training programs. Sounds like another positive to me!
Anson Flake, a friend and CEO of HydroWorx in Middletown, PA also likes to group spin. His real love however, is running on the underwater treadmill, solo, around three or four days per week. His knees won't take the pounding of the pavement and while he is alone he can listen to music or watch videos and get a great workout. In regards to exercise Anson said,"It's all good, but I do prefer a workout in the HydroWorx pool."
One more comment I have about group working out is that I think it is safer. I like to cycle on some remote, country roads, and have had some wild and scary experiences out there alone. While it takes some coordinating, I would recommend going cycling with at least another person in case you break down or get chased by dogs. The world is such a wonderful place, but there are some weirdos out there too, so riding with a buddy is always a good idea. I feel the same way about running. Sometimes I like to go on trails in the woods, so it is always better to bring a friend if not an entire group.
I think the bottom line here is that there are many benefits of group exercise. There are pros and cons to everything we do in life. Finding your group or maybe just a work-out buddy might take a little time but slowly and surely you'll find your niche and who knows what new goals you'll reach!
Tri-On, Boot Camp on, Walk-On, or Zumba on Friends!
Bottom Line; find something you love and get moving.
Kelly
This entry is about the pros and cons of group exercise. We are lucky because there are more options available for exercise than ever. My friend, Karen Francis Jones, who I've known for over twenty years (that's scary) wanted to know my opinion on exercise clubs and the pros and cons. She is an exercise enthusiast herself who shared some of her opinions on a class she does.
Karen participates in "Boot Camp" in the fall and spring months in her hometown of Rivervale, NJ. Boot Camp consists of showing up at 5:30 am (in the dark) at a local high school track. They use the field made of turf as well. The class is different each day which she likes because it keeps it "fresh." They do things like push-ups, sit-ups, weights, squats, sprints etc. The class has a very young and funny coach who gets them pumped and ready to start their day; sounds like a lot of positives so far. The coach also does an assessment on all of the participants at the beginning and then at the end of the session to see how each person has progressed. Each person gets timed in the mile and doing sit ups and push ups. Karen loves it because she has seen her own improvement. Instant feedback is such a good thing when it comes to fitness; can you say a positive?
The negatives of "Boot Camp"( although you know I'm going to say none) are that she doesn't always want to get up so early in the morning and that sometimes some of the exercises hurt her knees. Okay so suck up the early morning thing, no one likes that, but my advice on the things that hurt; don't do it. Listen to your body and do the things that you can do, it still counts.
Karen said that sometimes she gets frustrated with the exercises that she is unable to do and that frustration makes her want to quit. I say again , focus on the exercise you can do and forget the rest. You want to do things that you enjoy; that is the only way you will stick with it. If you are miserable and your knees hurt, you aren't going to go back. Do some extra push-ups or sit-ups if the squats hurt.Your coach will not mind, especially if you let her/him know.
I take a spin class every once in a while at the YMCA. I love the class, the camaraderie from the other participants and the music really rocks. The instructor is funny and I love to hear about her kids and what is going on with her. The one thing that I hate about her class is the,"climbs." These are done standing up on the spin bike for long segments. These hurt my knees so I opt to sit in the saddle and crank it up a notch(increase my cadence) instead of standing. I've told the entire class that I'm not going to do that part. I'm still in class and doing something, just not the thing that hurts my knees. The instructor, named Angie, always says,"Kelly you know what you are doing." There are no worries and I don't feel the least bit funny doing it that way now.
Karen is interested in joining a running group but has some hesitations. She is worried that she may not be able to find someone who is at her pace ; a totally common fear. Karen said that a lot of runners she has come in contact with have already formed their running "cliche" and she worries that she might not fit in. Again, I think a common worry but also a misconception. Of course there are always crummy people out there no matter what you are doing. But there are always people in the same boat that would be willing to welcome in newcomers. My advice here is to give it try. It may take more than one club until you meet the right people, with the right pace, and the right attitude. When you think about it, everything in life is like that.
My experience with running clubs has been positive. I don't usually work out with groups because of time constraints but a few years ago, when I was training for my first half marathon, I worked out with a running group at the YMCA on Saturday mornings. I thought the exact same thing as Mrs. Jones. I didn't want to get stuck with some die hard runner that I couldn't keep up with. The Saturday group provided me with some of the best runners that were paced just like me. It took me a few times going to figure out who I liked running with but after that it was great. The group also had smaller groups within the large group who did different distances. I loved this because usually on Saturday I needed to do a long run for my training, and I could always find someone to run with. I prefer to run with someone for the longs runs over six miles because, lets face it, after an hour of running it can get really boring.
My good friend, Shellie Sierra-Gruber, shared some interesting thoughts about her first triathlon group. Shellie is an age group triathlete( I like to take a little credit for the fact that she is a triathlete because I recruited her ten years ago). She wanted group exercise to help her with her triathlon training. Initially she did not find people that she could regularly swim,bike, and run with. But what she did find was a,"community of support, healthy competition, and friendships. " She feels those ingredients helped her grow as an athlete and a person. Humm, sounds like a positive to me.
Eventually, Shellie did find people in her group to train with and those people are able to "push" her further and "pull" her back if she is overdoing it or facing an injury. The triathlon group she is with now organizes group runs, swims and bikes. They communicate via email and she is always able to find someone to work out with now. Shellie has developed many meaningful relationships from working out with a group. "When you're out in the woods for long periods of time, things come out." The tri group also gets together for social gatherings where they'll go out to dinner or do non-exercise things which also helps to promote cohesion in the group. The club also provides nutrition information, bike maintenance, and training programs. Sounds like another positive to me!
Anson Flake, a friend and CEO of HydroWorx in Middletown, PA also likes to group spin. His real love however, is running on the underwater treadmill, solo, around three or four days per week. His knees won't take the pounding of the pavement and while he is alone he can listen to music or watch videos and get a great workout. In regards to exercise Anson said,"It's all good, but I do prefer a workout in the HydroWorx pool."
One more comment I have about group working out is that I think it is safer. I like to cycle on some remote, country roads, and have had some wild and scary experiences out there alone. While it takes some coordinating, I would recommend going cycling with at least another person in case you break down or get chased by dogs. The world is such a wonderful place, but there are some weirdos out there too, so riding with a buddy is always a good idea. I feel the same way about running. Sometimes I like to go on trails in the woods, so it is always better to bring a friend if not an entire group.
I think the bottom line here is that there are many benefits of group exercise. There are pros and cons to everything we do in life. Finding your group or maybe just a work-out buddy might take a little time but slowly and surely you'll find your niche and who knows what new goals you'll reach!
Tri-On, Boot Camp on, Walk-On, or Zumba on Friends!
Bottom Line; find something you love and get moving.
Kelly
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Barefoot Running... But Not Where you Think
All over the news lately is a new trend called barefoot running. The obvious definition- running in bare feet. I have been intrigued by this new phenomenon and I do like to follow new trends. I consider myself a trendy chick for a forty something, well sort of. Anyway, I looked at some interesting web-sites and while intrigued, I still was not inspired enough the other morning when I went out on my deck to inspect the great outdoors to discover the outside temperature of 13 degrees Fahrenheit or -10.5 Celsius. I immediately ran back inside, barefoot, right to my computer to learn more.
I spent the morning surfing and learning about the Vibram Five Fingers shoe especially made for this,"barefoot running," at eighty bucks a pop I wondered why I'd bother with these since the trend is without them. I read more about the folks out there who are purists and really prefer wearing nothing on their feet at all and about a guy whose done one hundred marathons barefoot. Humm. What's a girl to do when she wants to try a new trend? I decided to wait for the spring to attempt running sans shoes outside. I packed my bag and off I went to do some barefoot running of my own; on the HydroWorx treadmill.
A perfect and safe environment for barefoot running is on the underwater treadmill at HydroWorx. I'm in my swim suit too and barefoot and as carefree as a pregnant woman. Okay so maybe I should save the stand-up for the spring too, but the warmth of the water and safety of the underwater treadmill came through again. I'm still on trend, but I am not going to have to shock my feet into understanding why I am running without shoes. The underwater treadmill leaves me weightless and therefore my feet are not taking the pounding they would barefoot on a road or trail. I am still carefree and running; just safe and pain-free.
While running barefoot I decided to do intervals. Anyone who runs knows the importance of interval training and while I am an older athlete, my speed is probably not going to improve greatly at this point, it is still something that I incorporate into my workouts rather than doing the same old run at the same old speed. Repeats or intervals are something that I normally do on a track or on the pavement. The last time I did intervals was with my friend Fran, the crazy, mountain- trail racer. I was miserable because we did them running on the road and by the fifth one I could feel my feet hitting the pavement, this was with a very cushioned shoe; imagine without shoes.
The underwater treadmill was perfect for an interval workout and fun. I warmed up by running at about 6mph for about ten minutes. Then I alternated speeds, and to make things even more fun, I added the resistance jets on the pool, making it feel like you are running uphill. I ran at about 6.5 mph for about one minute fifteen seconds and then keeping the same speed, added the resistance jets at about 75% for about a minute. I did ten of these. After about thirty minutes I switched to straight running at 6.5 mph and then did a cool down at about 6mph for the last ten minutes.
I was completely distracted during the intervals because I was looking at my watch for time and constantly changing the resistance jets; this made the workout fly by and it made it fun for me because I was changing my routine a bit. Distraction is something that I have become very good at being an endurance athlete. I break my workout into chunks of time rather than thinking of the whole session. That's exactly how I get through a triathlon; I think of each piece of the race and then I move onto the next portion. If I thought of the whole distance I would never make it.
Because I was barefoot, I could also watch my form. I could see my feet hitting the treadmill underneath me and fix corrections if my feet were not properly aligned. If you are an under or over pronator this would be valuable to you because you can literally see what your feet are doing. Unlike the repeats that I did the week before on the road, my feet did not hurt. In fact my legs were not sore either and usually the day after repeats I want a low impact workout of some type. I went downhill skiing that night after my workout in the HydroWorx pool and felt great. My butt would have been in a hot tub and to bed early if I had been out on the road.
I think I might buy a pair of those Vibram Five Finger shoes; but I'll save them for my next,"barefoot," session on the HydroWorx underwater treadmill. For more information on hydrotherapy go to http://www.hydroworx.com/.
Tri-on Friends,
Kelly
I spent the morning surfing and learning about the Vibram Five Fingers shoe especially made for this,"barefoot running," at eighty bucks a pop I wondered why I'd bother with these since the trend is without them. I read more about the folks out there who are purists and really prefer wearing nothing on their feet at all and about a guy whose done one hundred marathons barefoot. Humm. What's a girl to do when she wants to try a new trend? I decided to wait for the spring to attempt running sans shoes outside. I packed my bag and off I went to do some barefoot running of my own; on the HydroWorx treadmill.
A perfect and safe environment for barefoot running is on the underwater treadmill at HydroWorx. I'm in my swim suit too and barefoot and as carefree as a pregnant woman. Okay so maybe I should save the stand-up for the spring too, but the warmth of the water and safety of the underwater treadmill came through again. I'm still on trend, but I am not going to have to shock my feet into understanding why I am running without shoes. The underwater treadmill leaves me weightless and therefore my feet are not taking the pounding they would barefoot on a road or trail. I am still carefree and running; just safe and pain-free.
While running barefoot I decided to do intervals. Anyone who runs knows the importance of interval training and while I am an older athlete, my speed is probably not going to improve greatly at this point, it is still something that I incorporate into my workouts rather than doing the same old run at the same old speed. Repeats or intervals are something that I normally do on a track or on the pavement. The last time I did intervals was with my friend Fran, the crazy, mountain- trail racer. I was miserable because we did them running on the road and by the fifth one I could feel my feet hitting the pavement, this was with a very cushioned shoe; imagine without shoes.
The underwater treadmill was perfect for an interval workout and fun. I warmed up by running at about 6mph for about ten minutes. Then I alternated speeds, and to make things even more fun, I added the resistance jets on the pool, making it feel like you are running uphill. I ran at about 6.5 mph for about one minute fifteen seconds and then keeping the same speed, added the resistance jets at about 75% for about a minute. I did ten of these. After about thirty minutes I switched to straight running at 6.5 mph and then did a cool down at about 6mph for the last ten minutes.
I was completely distracted during the intervals because I was looking at my watch for time and constantly changing the resistance jets; this made the workout fly by and it made it fun for me because I was changing my routine a bit. Distraction is something that I have become very good at being an endurance athlete. I break my workout into chunks of time rather than thinking of the whole session. That's exactly how I get through a triathlon; I think of each piece of the race and then I move onto the next portion. If I thought of the whole distance I would never make it.
Because I was barefoot, I could also watch my form. I could see my feet hitting the treadmill underneath me and fix corrections if my feet were not properly aligned. If you are an under or over pronator this would be valuable to you because you can literally see what your feet are doing. Unlike the repeats that I did the week before on the road, my feet did not hurt. In fact my legs were not sore either and usually the day after repeats I want a low impact workout of some type. I went downhill skiing that night after my workout in the HydroWorx pool and felt great. My butt would have been in a hot tub and to bed early if I had been out on the road.
I think I might buy a pair of those Vibram Five Finger shoes; but I'll save them for my next,"barefoot," session on the HydroWorx underwater treadmill. For more information on hydrotherapy go to http://www.hydroworx.com/.
Tri-on Friends,
Kelly
Friday, December 3, 2010
You Don't have to "TRI" to Stay Fit
A common question I have been asked lately is how do you find the time to train? I wanted to share some tips on time management for training. I also want to express in this entry that you don't have to be a triathlete to incorporate some changes in your life that are healthy ones. I was recently inspired to write this blog from a woman that is a student teacher. She asked, "How does someone over a certain weight run?" My response was ,"don't run, walk and add running in one minute increments." I also mentioned that the HydroWorx pool ,with the underwater treadmill, would be a great option for her to try because you are virtually weightless in the water.
I think it is really hard for people to understand that I just didn't wake up one morning and go out and do a triathlon. It has taken years of building my fitness level.
Here are some tips to help the average person get started. First of all, if you can, join a gym. I joined the YMCA when my children were small. They have wonderful daycare and I could drop off my kids and get a great work-out in. But if you can't afford a gym there are other ways to get fit.
Invest in a jog stroller. I did this when my son Bryce was born and it was a Godsend. I didn't always run, I started out taking walks with him in the jog stroller and started to run a little bit at time during my walks. If I felt like running I did, if I felt like walking I did. I would add a couple of minutes of running with walking and before I knew it I had added ten minutes of running to my half hour walk. It takes an average person around ten minutes to run a mile. This walk-run was good for my son too. We were outside getting some fresh air, experiencing nature. Once my son got older we could use our runs as a learning time as well. I could point to things outside and ask him,"What's that?" I made a game out of our runs.
During the toddler years, I let my son ride his Big Wheel along the trail I ran on. He couldn't go too far at first, but I was still fitting in some exercise and he was getting worn out and also benefiting from riding his "bike," as I used to call it. If he was cranky I promised a trip to the park when Mommy was finished getting her exercise time in. I used to call it my," play time," and explained to him that Mommy needed time to play too and then it would be,"Bryce's time." He quickly learned that he wasn't the only one who wanted to do things. This was an important lesson for him..
When my second son was born I invested in a double jog stroller. Some other inexpensive equipment is a jump rope, rollerblades, resistance bands and balance ball, and a bike seat. If you have kids they can jump rope or roller blade with you. The bike seat attached to the back of my bike so I could ride around the neighborhood while my son got to enjoy the great outdoors. I wasn't biking 56 miles, just a few miles around the neighborhood , but it still counts. These small pieces of equipment add up to exercise and eventually you can get your kids doing these activities with you.
Around seven years ago I developed a stress fracture and I couldn't run but, I was still able to do low impact exercise like swim and the elliptical at the Y, but again if you can't afford a gym, I have another way to stay fit.
I bought some Pilate's DVDs that were wonderful. You can do the DVDs whenever you want in the privacy of your own home and I did not gain an ounce of weight during the time of my stress fracture. Pilate's is a wonderful toning tool. I like it better than yoga because it combines dance movements with quick repetitions, giving you more of a cardio workout than you get with straight yoga.
Get a work-out partner. If you are meeting someone early in the morning or late in the evening to exercise it holds you more accountable. You'll feel bad if you don't show up and the other person has made the effort.
As far as balancing work, family, and exercise, a common excuse is, "I don't have time to exercise." My response is, "Yes you do!". Incorporate it into your day just like anything else and it can be done. I think of it like eating or sleeping; it is necessity. If you are working and balancing a family the easiest way to fit in exercise is to do it early in the morning. Go to bed an hour earlier and get up an hour earlier. All you need to get started is about thirty minutes. I always say that something is better than nothing. Even twenty minutes of cardio can give you some benefits.
"My kids have so many activities, I don't have time," is another excuse I hear often. I can relate to this and I have been known to go for a run during my kids soccer practice. They are old enough now that I can leave them for their hour long practice and sneak off for my run. If you are not comfortable leaving then run or walk around the soccer area where you can keep an eye on them. I see many moms sitting in a chair during their kid's practice and I think what is the point in that, you could be utilizing this time to get your own exercise. My kids don't mind if I don't watch all of their practices,so don't feel guilty.
Finally, ask your significant other to help. My husband knows how important it is for me to release all my stress through some physical activity; mine just happens to be swimming, running, or biking. He is awesome about chipping in and helping with the kids so I may do those activities. He knows that I will support him come hunting season and for his occasional fishing trips. We work together to get what we both want.
Anyone can get fit. Start small, do what you love, increase whatever activity you do in increments. Get your kids involved.You'll be leaner and your kids will admire you when you can play tag or kick the soccer ball with them.
The best compliment I received came after my Half Ironman from my now thirteen year old son. He said, "Mom are you happy that you did your Half Ironman?" I said, "Of course." He said,"I want to do an Ironman someday and dedicate it to you." I cried!
Take Care and Happy "Tri-ing,"
Kelly
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Tri- Taper
Taper-a gradual diminution of thickness, diameter or width of an elongated object. b. a gradual decrease, refers to the gradual practice of reducing before an endurance event.
Perhaps the hardest part of training for me is the taper period. The taper is the gradual backing off and rest time before the big day. After months of following a training regimen and building to long runs, bikes, and swims, suddenly it is time to cut back. The two weeks before the event it is important to rest; easier said than done.
This post is about how I deal with the taper part of triathlon. First, I remember all of the time and training I have put in. There have been some weeks that I didn't quite get in everything that was on my plan but I know from previous races that this will not effect race day. Last year I got sick with a cold before an event and my training during the course of the cold was not up to par. Once I felt better I got right back into my routine and my event went well. A mistake to avoid is to train when you are sick. I have done that before and it has taken me twice as long to recover from an illness like a cold or flu. Listen to your body; don't train if you are sick.
I continue to do some light workouts two weeks before and I rest, almost completely one week before. This weekend I did a light run for an hour on Saturday then on Sunday I'll cycle for around two hours. Monday is a swim day (I have just five days before the race) this is a low impact workout and since the bulk of my training has been running and biking I feel I need a swim to build confidence.The rest of the week will probably be complete rest; if anything a light run Tuesday and then positively nothing else regarding training.
The rest of the week will be dedicated to organizing what I will need for the race; all the gear as well as nutritional items. I make lists and check them twice. I check my bike to make sure it is in good working order as well. I had a bike tune-up a few weeks ago at a local bike shop where they checked my tires, gears, handle bars etc. The bike shop took apart my gears and re-oiled the parts to insure a good working machine come race day. I would highly recommend a bike tune up at least once a year.
I also try to keep my mind positive the week prior to an event. I think positively about what is coming. I practice in my mind how I will transition from one sport to another. I also don't talk to people that might come up with negative things to say about race day. Although people don't often realize what they are doing I've had many negative comments before my events. My own father can say things that would freak a new person to the sport out. To give you an example he has said things like,"Better you than me," and, "Why would you want to swim in the ocean? It is going to be so cold in November."Negative talk can send anyone into panic mode, especially if it is a first time racer. I surround myself with positive thoughts and positive people.
Finally, I try to eat properly. Everyone is different but I do try to eat a fair amount of carbohydrates and protein for muscle recovery the week before an event. The night before an event I like to eat pasta and maybe a grilled chicken breast, salad with oil and vinegar and bread. Hydration is also important the week before as well as the day of; get your eight glasses a day if possible.I don't like to eat a lot of meat prior to an event because it is harder to digest. Avoid anything new to your diet and avoid spicy or fatty foods; the last thing you want on race day is an upset stomach. If you are anything like me, I always have a nervous stomach so you don't want to add other digestive problems.
I pray too. I have a very spiritual side and believe in the power of prayer. God always gets me through an endurance event. He is by my side when I really need him. Along with God, my family almost always comes out to support me , and I can't tell you how much that helps get me through the difficulty. I know at some point I'll see them, and their smiles and cheers help get me to the finish line.Again it goes back to keeping positive. Without the support of my family and friends and of course HydroWorx, I would never make it to the starting line.
My mantra during every event I have ever participated in is," I'm probably not going to first, but I definitely won't be last and I'm a better athlete than half the people on this course( who knows if any of that is true but...) I repeat this over and over to instill peace and confidence in myself. The rest will take care of itself.
Perhaps the hardest part of training for me is the taper period. The taper is the gradual backing off and rest time before the big day. After months of following a training regimen and building to long runs, bikes, and swims, suddenly it is time to cut back. The two weeks before the event it is important to rest; easier said than done.
This post is about how I deal with the taper part of triathlon. First, I remember all of the time and training I have put in. There have been some weeks that I didn't quite get in everything that was on my plan but I know from previous races that this will not effect race day. Last year I got sick with a cold before an event and my training during the course of the cold was not up to par. Once I felt better I got right back into my routine and my event went well. A mistake to avoid is to train when you are sick. I have done that before and it has taken me twice as long to recover from an illness like a cold or flu. Listen to your body; don't train if you are sick.
I continue to do some light workouts two weeks before and I rest, almost completely one week before. This weekend I did a light run for an hour on Saturday then on Sunday I'll cycle for around two hours. Monday is a swim day (I have just five days before the race) this is a low impact workout and since the bulk of my training has been running and biking I feel I need a swim to build confidence.The rest of the week will probably be complete rest; if anything a light run Tuesday and then positively nothing else regarding training.
The rest of the week will be dedicated to organizing what I will need for the race; all the gear as well as nutritional items. I make lists and check them twice. I check my bike to make sure it is in good working order as well. I had a bike tune-up a few weeks ago at a local bike shop where they checked my tires, gears, handle bars etc. The bike shop took apart my gears and re-oiled the parts to insure a good working machine come race day. I would highly recommend a bike tune up at least once a year.
I also try to keep my mind positive the week prior to an event. I think positively about what is coming. I practice in my mind how I will transition from one sport to another. I also don't talk to people that might come up with negative things to say about race day. Although people don't often realize what they are doing I've had many negative comments before my events. My own father can say things that would freak a new person to the sport out. To give you an example he has said things like,"Better you than me," and, "Why would you want to swim in the ocean? It is going to be so cold in November."Negative talk can send anyone into panic mode, especially if it is a first time racer. I surround myself with positive thoughts and positive people.
Finally, I try to eat properly. Everyone is different but I do try to eat a fair amount of carbohydrates and protein for muscle recovery the week before an event. The night before an event I like to eat pasta and maybe a grilled chicken breast, salad with oil and vinegar and bread. Hydration is also important the week before as well as the day of; get your eight glasses a day if possible.I don't like to eat a lot of meat prior to an event because it is harder to digest. Avoid anything new to your diet and avoid spicy or fatty foods; the last thing you want on race day is an upset stomach. If you are anything like me, I always have a nervous stomach so you don't want to add other digestive problems.
I pray too. I have a very spiritual side and believe in the power of prayer. God always gets me through an endurance event. He is by my side when I really need him. Along with God, my family almost always comes out to support me , and I can't tell you how much that helps get me through the difficulty. I know at some point I'll see them, and their smiles and cheers help get me to the finish line.Again it goes back to keeping positive. Without the support of my family and friends and of course HydroWorx, I would never make it to the starting line.
My mantra during every event I have ever participated in is," I'm probably not going to first, but I definitely won't be last and I'm a better athlete than half the people on this course( who knows if any of that is true but...) I repeat this over and over to instill peace and confidence in myself. The rest will take care of itself.
Wish me luck!
My first Half Iron Man(solo)is this Saturday,Stay tuned for details about Beach2Battleship Tri ...
Kelly
Friday, October 1, 2010
Tri-Water
My love affair with water began at an early age. My father, being a huge beach goer, taught my brother's and I to swim at the age of five. When I was ten years old my mother sent me to a church camp for a week in Ohio with her cousin's children. We stayed in a cabin, hiked in the woods, played volleyball. There was a concession stand where on Friday we were able to spend some of our own money on candy and treats, which at age ten was a dream come true. My favorite memory about the camp though, was that we got to swim in a lake.The camp had a swimming competition in the lake where I won my first event. So began my love affair with open water swimming; who knew I would still be competing in open water thirty years later?
One of the many benefits of multi sport is the cross training. I can take a step off the pavement and hit the water. There are many benefits of training in water. Today, I had the privilege of using one of the HydorWorx pools as part of my training. The 7"6 wide by 14' long pool provides high powered jets to swim against, giving a swim that simulates open water swimming. The pool is also able to provide an incredible run workout.
The HydroWorx pool offers an underwater treadmill, much like a land treadmill, you can power your speed and run for as long as you like; the difference is with the underwater treadmill you feel like you could run forever. There is virtually no impact. I was able to use the jets in the pool to include resistance to my workout, and at 6-mph, for one hour, I was able to get a run workout in without actually pounding my body. My knees and hips thanked me, and after one hour I was ready for more, but my time slot was over. When I run on the pavement rarely do I feel like doing more.
While I was running on the HydroWorx treadmill my mind flashed to last week when I was driving over to train at Messiah College. I was trying to fit in a quick run after work. I passed a very large man running down the road near the college. I didn't know him but I wanted to stop and give him a hug. The man looked to weigh somewhere around 300 pounds. There he was trudging down the road, one step at at time. He was not able to go fast, in fact his run looked like a mere step up from walking. His large body was doing the very best it could.
There were many reasons I wanted to hug him. First to encourage him, second to say I admired what he was doing, but last to comfort him because carrying around 300 pounds had to be painful. I realized at that point that the HydroWorx pool could help many obese people get into shape without the pain. By running on one of the underwater treadmills you are 80% weightless and can burn as many calories as on a traditional treadmill without the impact.
I wondered how long this very overweight man might keep up with his running. According to an article by Robert Kokoska for Ezine, the very obese have a difficult time going to regular gyms because the equipment is designed for the maximum weight of 250 pounds. The bottom line is that it would be difficult to maintain an exercise regimen if you are very over weight because of the stress added to muscles and joints, but if you were weightless in a pool than the chances would be higher that you'd stay with a program because it wouldn't hurt.
I love to watch the show The Biggest Loser. While the routines the trainers put the contestants through are very inspiring, it is very unrealistic for an obese person. Putting so much physical stress on an obese person has many risks involved. Have you ever noticed the disclaimers before and after the show? Showing someone exercising in a pool doesn't make for interesting television, but the reality is water could revolutionize weight loss!
The power of water is amazing; our bodies need it to survive, we need it to grow things, we are made of water, we can use it for energy, we can exercise and rehab our sore muscles in it and we can lose weight by working out in it. Water is one of the reasons I love triathlon; I am able to excel because of my ability to swim.
Check out HydroWorx website at http://www.hydroworx.com/ where you can learn more about the different products they offer and who is using their pools and why it just works!
Tri On!
Kelly
One of the many benefits of multi sport is the cross training. I can take a step off the pavement and hit the water. There are many benefits of training in water. Today, I had the privilege of using one of the HydorWorx pools as part of my training. The 7"6 wide by 14' long pool provides high powered jets to swim against, giving a swim that simulates open water swimming. The pool is also able to provide an incredible run workout.
The HydroWorx pool offers an underwater treadmill, much like a land treadmill, you can power your speed and run for as long as you like; the difference is with the underwater treadmill you feel like you could run forever. There is virtually no impact. I was able to use the jets in the pool to include resistance to my workout, and at 6-mph, for one hour, I was able to get a run workout in without actually pounding my body. My knees and hips thanked me, and after one hour I was ready for more, but my time slot was over. When I run on the pavement rarely do I feel like doing more.
While I was running on the HydroWorx treadmill my mind flashed to last week when I was driving over to train at Messiah College. I was trying to fit in a quick run after work. I passed a very large man running down the road near the college. I didn't know him but I wanted to stop and give him a hug. The man looked to weigh somewhere around 300 pounds. There he was trudging down the road, one step at at time. He was not able to go fast, in fact his run looked like a mere step up from walking. His large body was doing the very best it could.
There were many reasons I wanted to hug him. First to encourage him, second to say I admired what he was doing, but last to comfort him because carrying around 300 pounds had to be painful. I realized at that point that the HydroWorx pool could help many obese people get into shape without the pain. By running on one of the underwater treadmills you are 80% weightless and can burn as many calories as on a traditional treadmill without the impact.
I wondered how long this very overweight man might keep up with his running. According to an article by Robert Kokoska for Ezine, the very obese have a difficult time going to regular gyms because the equipment is designed for the maximum weight of 250 pounds. The bottom line is that it would be difficult to maintain an exercise regimen if you are very over weight because of the stress added to muscles and joints, but if you were weightless in a pool than the chances would be higher that you'd stay with a program because it wouldn't hurt.
I love to watch the show The Biggest Loser. While the routines the trainers put the contestants through are very inspiring, it is very unrealistic for an obese person. Putting so much physical stress on an obese person has many risks involved. Have you ever noticed the disclaimers before and after the show? Showing someone exercising in a pool doesn't make for interesting television, but the reality is water could revolutionize weight loss!
The power of water is amazing; our bodies need it to survive, we need it to grow things, we are made of water, we can use it for energy, we can exercise and rehab our sore muscles in it and we can lose weight by working out in it. Water is one of the reasons I love triathlon; I am able to excel because of my ability to swim.
Check out HydroWorx website at http://www.hydroworx.com/ where you can learn more about the different products they offer and who is using their pools and why it just works!
Tri On!
Kelly
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Tri Mom Strikes Again
That day it was easy to answer Bryce’s question, however, and my reply was simply, “I love a challenge.” I got a big, “Oh,” from Bryce and that was the end of the conversation regarding triathlon, but it got me thinking. I really do love the challenge.
Triathlon parallels life in many ways and that is why I continue to race. Life has challenges and we as human beings face adversity often. Think of daily life and the hassles it sometimes presents. Balancing work, family, bills, and the-day-to day grind can be a challenge. Maybe you have a sick family member or maybe you are experiencing financial troubles in this weakening economy. The key is how we feel after we have faced and overcome our challenges. When I complete a triathlon I feel like I can accomplish anything; just like in life when you overcome adversity it gives you the feeling that you can reach your goals.
Triathlon, like life, is a juggling act. I used to compete in running races. Running is hard too but if you put your training time in it can be done. The challenge of triathlon is you are always trying to do well in three sports; swimming, biking, and running. When you think you have done well in one sport, another suffers, as there are only so many training hours in a day. The point is there is always something that can be done better just like in life when you are juggling multiple tasks, something or someone may be neglected.
The last few months I faced a fairly common training challenge; knee soreness. Rest, ice, compression, elevation or RICE is what athletes have been taught to rehabilitate soreness. Thankfully I was able to use another method to rehab my knee.
HydroWorx therapy pools are another tool I use to get through training challenges. The pools are unique in that there is a hose in the pool that can shoot out water at an incredible speed. The water coming out of the jet acts like a deep tissue massage on the area that you direct it to, in my case, my knee. I put the jet right on the area of my knee that was sore and within a few minutes I felt an improvement. I was able to get back to running right away which in turn got me to the starting and finish line of my last race.
There are challenges before race day and there are even more challenges during an event. Before the race started I got lost on the way to the race site as the road that led into the park was closed. Then once I found the park I had limited time to set up only to realize when I went to the registration tent I was not registered! Once I overcame those obstacles, and the race started, I was hit in the face during the swim by an overzealous swimmer. During the 25 mile bike portion of the race I experienced a cramp in my back that finally went away when I got to the 6.2 run.
Triathlon, like life, is never dull and always full of surprises, but like I said to Bryce, “I’m always up for the challenge.”
Tri on,Kelly
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